Arthritis

How Physiotherapy Can Help Your Arthritis Pain

Have you found yourself waking up with stiff joints that ache as you get moving? Does it get more painful during the day? If you’re nodding your head yes, this might be a sign that you’re experiencing symptoms of early-onset arthritis. Many people live with this condition. They do not seek treatment because they believe that it’s something they have to deal with as they grow older. This is far from the truth.

Our Edmonton, AB physiotherapists can help manage your arthritis pain. We can show you the correct exercises to start doing at home that will be beneficial in your journey towards pain relief. Our goal is to make sure you’re able to continue doing your everyday activities without injuring yourself.

Your physiotherapist will be able to assist you with increasing your range of motion in the affected joints. If you are experiencing painful symptoms from arthritis, be sure to contact ProActive Physiotherapy to get scheduled an appointment.

How Common is Arthritis Joint Pain?

According to the Arthritis Society of Canada, about 6 million Canadians (1 in 5 adults) have arthritis, and its impacts extend even to their family members, caregivers, and friends. In Canada, arthritis joint pain is more common in women than men (1 in 4 women, compared to 1 in 6 men). It can strike people of any age. While it becomes more common at older ages, over half of Canadians with arthritis are younger than 65.

The most widely recognized type of joint pain is osteoarthritis. This condition happens when the cartilage of the joint begins to wear down either due to aging or overuse of the joint. Since the cartilage can no longer serve as a cushy barrier, the joints start to experience pain. Without the padding of the cartilage, the bones touch and grind against each other, which causes inflammation in the joint.

Another common type of arthritis is rheumatoid, also known as “inflammatory arthritis.” This is an auto-immune disease commonly found in females rather than males. It also affects multiple joints at once.

People struggling with arthritis tend to experience soreness around their joints. This pain becomes worse after they’ve been standing or sitting for a long period. Arthritis pain can be worse with movement as well, such as bending often at the knees. Those suffering from arthritis might report hearing “clicking” or “popping” noises in the joints that are affected as well. Joints may also feel very painful or tender to the touch. Arthritis can often cause you to feel pain when you work out, and you may notice the pain may subside after you cease doing certain exercises.

What Causes Osteoarthritis To form?

 Osteoarthritis is pretty easy to diagnose because it’s the most common form of arthritis. Sudden injuries in a joint can cause it to form, and it can even develop regardless of if a previous injury has healed.

 Imagine you played soccer in college and you received a harsh injury to one of your knees. You go to treatment, sit a few games out for recovery time, and then return to the game. Even though your injury has healed, the surrounding muscles and cartilage are still damaged. This means decreased support to the joint, or even the motion of the joint changing. Therefore, it’s still very possible for you to develop osteoarthritis in the future.

All of the above is true for people who have careers that require a lot of the same repetitive motions or the overuse of the same joints. If you are a carpenter who spends a lot of time swinging heavy hammers in repetitive motions as you nail pieces of wood, you may develop osteoarthritis in the joints of your elbows and hands. Overweight individuals are also at a higher risk for developing osteoarthritis because of the extra weight and strain being placed on their hip and knee joints.

What Causes Rheumatoid Arthritis to Form?

Rheumatoid arthritis is a bit different from osteoarthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis develops as an autoimmune response, meaning that your immune system views your joints as a threat and begins to target and attack them. Many deciding factors go into the development of rheumatoid arthritis. Your medical history, hormones, and environment are a few. It’s also common for this condition to affect the same joints on opposite sides of the body because it is an autoimmune disease.

How Can Physiotherapy Help Ease my Arthritis Pain? 

Physiotherapy for arthritis offers many benefits to people suffering from arthritis pain. Oftentimes, patients can avoid having expensive surgeries or purchasing medications. Your Edmonton, AB physiotherapist will be able to conduct a thorough physical examination to determine what the best kind of treatment for your specific pain problems would be.

A physiotherapy is an excellent option for arthritis because it helps to restore the normal motion of your joints, strengthen supporting muscles, and can improve the way you move overall. Our physiotherapy treatments cater to your specific needs for a lasting recovery. We can also show you ways to prevent future injuries to your joints, and at-home therapy exercises to practice on your own. If you’re struggling with arthritis or have noticed any of the arthritic symptoms listed here, make an appointment today with one of our licensed physiotherapists at ProActive Physiotherapy today. Let us help you find lasting relief from your pain.